


Mortal Sky

by Kuroeia (Empatheia)



Series: FemFeb 2021 [5]
Category: Bleach
Genre: F/F, Femslash February, Femslash February 2021, Ficlet, Gap Filler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:36:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29568318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Empatheia/pseuds/Kuroeia
Summary: Tatsuki wonders what it was like.
Relationships: Arisawa Tatsuki/Inoue Orihime
Series: FemFeb 2021 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2172204
Comments: 5
Kudos: 4
Collections: Femslash February





	Mortal Sky

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 FemFeb 2021 prompt: **orange**
> 
> Set sometime after Hueco Mundo but before all the other stuff. I don't remember if she actually told Tatsuki anything at that time but let's just say she did.

They sat on the roof of Orihime's apartment, close enough to share warmth, and watched the sun go down.

It was partly cloudy, a muddle of undecided nimbus clouds encroaching on the city from the southwest, all lit up with a hundred shades of orange and red. The taller buildings with lots of glass on them glimmered and flashed in sequence as the last rays angled past them. 

"Is it different?" Tatsuki asked.

"Huh?" said Orihime, distracted. It might be a pretty ordinary urban sunset, but she was back in the world of the living to see it, with her own still-living eyes, and that made it pretty special to her. 

Tatsuki shrugged awkwardly, reaching out for her hands to warm them. "You know. Sunset over there. In the other place. Or places, I guess."

Orihime was quiet for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts and giving up quickly. "I don't really know about Soul Society," she admitted, "everything was so hectic whenever I was there that I never really had much time to sit and watch. I think it was pretty similar. Close enough that it didn't seem weirder than anything else there. Hueco Mundo..." 

She trailed off, her bones remembering an old chill. Unconsciously, she pressed closer to Tatsuki, who let go of her hands in favour of putting an arm around her and rubbing her back. 

"Hueco Mundo," she continued, "didn't have sunsets, because the sun never rose. It was always night there. Only the moon rose and set, and it was really bright but there was no colour anywhere for it to shine on. Just white sand and bony trees and monsters."

She'd never talked about it before. Hadn't had time, partly, but also just hadn't wanted to very much. Somehow she'd felt like talking about it would drag her back into it, make it like she'd never escaped at all. 

This was all right, though. It was Tatsuki. She really could tell Tatsuki anything.

"It sounds awful," Tatsuki said gently. 

It had been. It had been, but she'd made it out, and here she was. Alive. Sitting on her roof watching the sunset with the person she loved most in all the worlds. 

So she smiled ruefully instead of answering and leaned her head on Tatsuki's shoulder, letting the encroaching silence of impending night end the conversation. 

She felt Tatsuki press a soft kiss to the top of her head. 

She'd return the favour at her next opportunity, she thought. Maybe not the top of her head, though; Tatsuki might not be thrilled if she messed up all those artful spikes. Her cheek, perhaps. Her forehead. Her mouth. 

Not tonight. Tonight's conversation was over; that would be one for another evening just like this. Hopefully soon.

For tonight, she was content just to be together, warm together, and watch the last ruddy light fade from this dull, precious mortal sky. 

**X**


End file.
